Installation

Step 1.
Double–click on the ChatNet Installer icon. A startup screen appears.

Step 2.
Click Continue.

Decide on Location for ChatNet’s Data Folder

There are two choices for ChatNet’s Data Folder: one data folder per computer or, if a Server is available, one data folder per Server serving all connected computers. If this is a single user setup with no Server option, skip to the next section Easy Installation.   
Choosing one data folder per computer (data folder is located at the root level of each Macintosh startup disk) allows for greater flexibility. Each computer can have different preference settings, if desired. However, multiple data folders are more difficult to administer and offer more opportunity for security problems.

Placing the data folder at the root level of a Server hard disk volume (if available) allows greater control. Preferences can be set once for all computers connected to that Server. Changing a preference setting for a ChatNet data folder on the Server automatically updates the ChatNet preference settings for all connected computers. If the ChatNet data folder is placed on a Server, the Server must be mounted prior to launching ChatNet. 

Easy Installation

Easy Install should be all that is required for most installations. For  network installations skip to Custom Installation (next section).

Step 1. The Install window appears. The Easy Install option should appear. The disk name that ChatNet will be installed to is listed at the bottom of the window. If this is not the desired startup disk, click the Switch Disk button.

Step 2. Click the Install button. A progress thermometer fills as installation proceeds.

Step 3. Quit the Install application and choose Restart from the Special menu.

SKIP TO:   

Custom Installation

Custom Installation is only required if ChatNet's data folder is going to be shared by multiple computers. 

Step 1. From the Easy Install pop-up menu, choose Custom Install.

Step 2. Click the Switch Disk button until the Server volume appears.

Step 3. Choose Install Data Folder Only and click the Install button. A progress thermometer fills as installation proceeds.

Now that the data folder has been installed to the Server, the ChatNet application needs to be installed on each workstation.

Step 4. Click the Switch Disk button until the workstation's hard drive appears.

Step 5. Choose Install ChatNet Application Only and click the Install button. A progress thermometer fills as installation proceeds. 

Step 6. Quit the Install application and choose Restart from the Special menu. For each workstation, be sure to perform steps 1, 4,  5, and 6. Proceed to Launching ChatNet the First Time.

Launching ChatNet the First Time

Double–click the ChatNet icon (located at the root of the installation volume) to launch. Usually only one volume will appear in the volume list screen. Highlight the default volume for ChatNet's Data Folder (Chat ƒ  folder must be at the root level of the volume) and click the OK button. Installation is complete! 

             Note: If no volumes appear in the volume list window, the data files        
             have not been installed or were not installed to the root level of the
             volume. If not installed, launch the ChatNet Installer application,
             choose Custom Install and install the data files.

             Note:
To set ChatNet to automatically Boot at startup, create an Alias of
             ChatNet and place it in the Startup Items folder of the System Folder. 

Now that ChatNet is installed, a welcome to ChatNet login screen appears. To take full advantage of ChatNet and its many features, some preferences should be set. See next section, ChatNet Preferences, to see how to access and set preferences.

Installing Data Folders to Multiple Computers

When installing to multiple computers and each computer is maintaining its own data folder (that is, ChatNet Data Folder is NOT located on a Server), installation and configuration can be accelerated and standardized by configuring one computer with all the desired preference settings and copying those settings to the other computers.

Choose one computer to become the “master” computer. Install ChatNet and set all preferences to the desired settings (refer to ChatNet Preferences). After configuring the “master” computer, locate the Chat ƒ folder located at the root of the hard disk on the “master” computer. Copy the Chat ƒ folder to a floppy disk. Copy the Chat ƒ folder from the floppy disk to each computer. When ChatNet is first launched select the Startup Volume for ChatNet’s Data Folder. All computers will now be configured like the “master” computer. This same process can be repeated after ChatNet has been initially installed by replacing the Chat ƒ folder on each computer with a new “master.” ChatNet should not be running during this process.

Changing ChatNet’s Data Folder Location

If, after initially installing ChatNet,  you decide to switch from individual ChatNet Data Folders on each computer to one Data Folder on a Server, ChatNet’s Data Folder must be relocated.

To change the data folder location, copy the Chat ƒ folder to the root level of the volume the data files will now reside and launch ChatNet. At the login screen, press both the Shift and Option keys while selecting the Preferences menu. Select Set New Chat Volume. A dialog is displayed requesting the preferences password. Once the correct password is typed, the Choose Volume for ChatNet’s Data Folder window is displayed. Select the Server volume and click the OK button.

            Note: The same procedure can be used to switch from using one

 Data Folder on a Server to using individual ChatNet Data Folders on 
             each computer. When the Choose Volume for ChatNet’s Data Folder 
            window is displayed, select the Startup Volume and click the OK 
             button.